"So, basically, I need you to make the periphery, that boundary area with the billions of platforms, safe." - Said Selene - "You two are the first ones to break in there, and it was by sheer luck that you did, rather than someone else without an anime aura. What could have happened to someone without it would be MUCH worse than what happened to you, Lucas."
Lucas nodded. "I see. Well, how would we do this, godd..." - Selene shot Lucas a 'quit it with the formality already' glance - "...er, Neruite?"
"Well... First of all, let me explain something to you guys. My power alone didn't create this palace or make it breathable. It cannot add gravity to the moon either. Each god has... bubbles. They are nearly omnipotent within one, and can enter it from anywhere and exit it anywhere. It is also physically impossible for something created by power in a bubble to leave it. That means we get to create abodes for us somewhere, and use our respective bubbles to teleport and such. There's a specific place in this realm where an infinite number of them can be found."
Cass nodded. "Right. Why don't gods use this to teleport in and out of - say - Fort Knox or something?"
Selene giggled. "One, we can create a lot of what we need. Two, we watch ourselves. A trickster god tried to do that to a bank in Bern once. He ended up naked and strapped to a flag pole for two days once this other trickster found out."
"You know, I don't think our age is conductive to creating legends about deities. I mean, compare: Chained to a mountain for eternity for giving fire to mankind versus strapped in the nude to a flagpole for two days for robbing a bank..." - Said Lucas, smirking.
"Oh, it'll be better in a few centuries, after the gods involved in this and those that heard of it create their own versions of the stories. Heck, Endymion was this insomniac guy I had a date with once. I cured him, from then on he slept and woke up as normally as anyone else, but go tell that to the poets." - Said Selene. - "Anyways. These bubbles have a big ball of reality inside them. Once this reality comes out, it should stabilize the periphery..."
"So, what, we break them in the Periphery and the place gets safe? But what about humans that might want to go beyond, and what about Shi?" - Said Lucas
"Shi is there to prevent people from crossing over to the Far Realm. And also to try and help those that might stumble into the Periphery without protection..." - Sighed Selene - "She took this job out of her own volition, but only to prevent people that would destroy reality from crossing into the Far Realm so the world would be safe..."
Lucas paused for a bit and thought.
"Mmm. So I can't ask that my reward is releasing her?"
"No, sorry. Until we find out a way to block the passage for mortals, we can't relieve her of that duty." - Sighed Selene.
"Why didn't the gods do that themselves?" - Said Cass - "Get the bubbles, secure the place and so on?"
"We would need, literally, millions of them. And a god cannot be in the possession of more than three at a time. This is a law of reality, not even something one could break. This rule, however, does not apply to mortals. You guys can carry as many as you wish."
"Uhm, cool, so how do we carry them?" - Said Lucas.
"I'll use one of my bubbles as a 'Bag of Holding' of sorts."
"So, you'll basically expand its dimension so that it fits. And once we get them there?"
"You crush the bubble. The force will be enough to crush the others inside it, and, voilá, reality. A bit controlled by your subconscious minds, so think happy thoughts." - Selene smirked. - "And your reward, Lucas, will be a few such bubbles for yourself and for Cass. Think of them like a self-contained reality you can control. While gods can control much larger areas, your should be like one block in size, but quite flexible aside from that."
Lucas smiled widely. "Wow... I like!" - Then a thought occurred to Lucas. And then another. - "Say. Can I create portals to and from them?"
"Yes. Why?" - Said Selene.
"I have two ideas..." - Said Lucas.
"You magnificent bastard. Yes, this one will work, I think..." - Said Selene, smiling - "I don't know about the other one. The gods won't mind, but I never studied that..."
"Good. Uhm... Say, can you somehow create a cell phone connection here? I need to call someone to see if that other idea of mine can be implemented." - Said Lucas, smiling.
Selene shrugged. "I made sure there was a connection so that people could call me here. So, feel free to make a call."
Lucas pulled out her cell phone.
"AlÔ, Mateus? Seguinte, eu tou aqui na Lua e preciso saber uma coisa..." - Lucas smirked at that intro - "É, por aÃ, depois eu explico..." (1)
Lucas hung up and smiled to Selene. "Hokay. I'm ready. Let's see, we get to keep a few bubbles for us, right? Any limits?"
"I'd say go for it. Sadly, other gods would object. So, I sorta cut a deal with them. How's five for each sound?"
"More than enough. Can I give them to people?" - Said Lucas
"People you trust, yes." - Said Selene.
"Right." - Said Lucas.
Selene smiled. "Good. Now, let me tell you exactly where you'll find those bubbles..."
(1) - "Hello, Mateus? Here's the deal, I'm here in the Moon and I need to know something... Yeah, kinda, I'll explain it later..."
